English Course Descriptions (ENGL)

Developmental Courses

Non-course-based Option. Certain students as determined by the Department of English and Modern Languages may be eligible to participate in non-course-based activities to complete TSI requirements. Contact the department for information about this option.

Course-based Option. Specially designated sections of English 1301 (“Tsections,” whose section number begins with a “T”) are designed to provide additional support for students who are not TSI complete. Students who are required to participate in developmental activities must enroll in these sections, which are identified by section numbers T10, T20, etc.

English 1301 “T-sections” meet for five hours weekly, although they only count three hours toward a student’s bill, course load, and GPA. A passing grade in an English 1301 “T-section” will both complete the student’s TSI requirements in reading and writing and also earn the student credit for English 1301.

A student enrolled in an English 1301 “T-section” is also subject to the special provisions regarding class attendance and withdrawals for students who are not TSI complete.

120C Developmental English (2-0). A study of the fundamentals of reading and writing that emphasizes concepts basic to both verbal skills. Students receive abundant practice in composition as well as in the comprehension and analysis of selected readings.

130C Fundamentals of English (3-2). An intense study of the fundamentals of reading and writing that emphasizes concepts basic to both verbal skills. Students receive abundant practice in composition as well as in comprehension and analysis of selected readings. Satisfactory completion of this course shall be a condition for enrolling in English 1301. (Laboratory activities will supplement classroom instruction. The amount of time required of students in the laboratory will depend on the level of deficiency.)

College-Level Courses

The freshman college-level English program is designed to enable the student to achieve proficiency in composition. Proficiency at the college level may be demonstrated by satisfactorily completing English 1301 and 1302 or by achieving credit through examination and passing the writing and reading sections of a State-approved TSI Assessment test.

Completion of the proficiency requirement in composition is prerequisite to sophomore-level courses, and completion of six semester hours of sophomore English is prerequisite to advanced courses.

Courses in English

1191 Preliminary First-Year Research Experience in English. A one-hour independent research course with English faculty mentor in the fall semester that covers topics related to undergraduate research/creative endeavor in English. By the end of the fall semester, student will have a specific research/creative endeavor agenda for English 1391. Department permission required.

1302/ENGL 1302 Writing Across the Curriculum (3-0). A course in critical reading and writing across the curriculum, including the research process and the research paper. Prerequisite: English 1301 or equivalent credit.

1391 First-Year Research Experience in English. An independent research course based upon topic or issue identified in English 1191 by first-year English major and led by student’s faculty mentor. Student will begin the research/creative process and prepare for a presentation at the Angelo State University Undergraduate Research Symposium. Departmental permission required.

For degree plans requiring English sophomore literature, the sophomore literature requirement may be met by taking any of the five sophomore literature courses offered (2307, 2321, 2326, 2329, 2331). The courses may be taken in any sequence or any combination.

2307/ENGL 2307 Introduction to Literature and Creative Writing (3-0). A sophomore literature course also serving as an introduction to creative writing with structured practice in the reading, analyzing, and responding to literature, as well as the production of short fiction and poetry.

2321/ENGL 2321 Readings in British Literature (3-0). A study of diverse works by British writers. Emphasis on reading, comprehending, appreciating, and thinking critically about the selected works within the context of British culture and literary history.

2326/ENGL 2326 Readings in American Literature (3-0). A study of diverse works by American writers. Emphasis on reading, comprehending, appreciating, and thinking critically about the selected works within the context of American culture and literary history.

2329 Introduction to Literary Studies (3-0). Introduction to the study of literature featuring works by various writers. Emphasis on critical reading and writing with understanding of literary theory and critical methodology. Required in three English B.A. degree programs: B.A. English with no specialization, B.A. English with Teacher Certification, and B.A. English with specialization in Creative Writing. Recommended for English minors. Prerequisite: English 1301 and 1302.

2331/ENGL 2331 Readings in World Literature (3-0). A study of diverse works by writers from various countries. Emphasis on reading, comprehending, appreciating, and thinking critically about the selected works within the context of the culture and literary history of the works’ origins.

2340 Introduction to the Study of Language (3-0). An introduction to linguistics, the scientific study of language: the nature of human language; language and the brain; language and society; formal linguistics includes phonetics (the properties of speech sounds), phonology (the systematic sound patterns of language), Morphology (the grammatical structure of words), syntax (the structure of sentences), and semantics/pragmatics (the meaning and use of words and sentences). (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 2340.) Prerequisite: English 1302.

Satisfactory completion of six semester hours of sophomore English literature is prerequisite to advanced courses (3000- and 4000- level courses). EXCEPTIONS:Satisfactory completion of three semester hours of sophomore English literature is prerequisite to English 3351, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3360, 3361, 4360, and 4365. English4071 does not have an English sophomore literature prerequisite.

3301 Medieval English Literature (3-0). English literature of the Middle Ages from the Anglo-Saxon period to the fifteenth century.

3309 Victorian Literature (3-0). Major English works of the Victorian period exclusive of the novel.

3312 English Literature of the Restoration and Enlightenment (3-0). Major English authors from 1660 to 1785, with analysis of representative works.

3313 British Romantic Literature (3-0). A study of the Romantic movement in England, with analysis of representative works.

3315 Modern British Literature (3-0). A study of British literature of the Modern Period, from 1900-1945, with analysis of representative works from a variety of genres and authors.

3320 Descriptive Linguistics (3-0). An examination of the science of human language: concentration on formal linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics/pragmatics) and survey of psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, applied linguistics. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 3320.) Prerequisite: English 1302.

3323 English Phonology and Morphology (3-0). Study of the speech sound system and the study of the structure of words. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 3323.) Prerequisite: English/Linguistics 2340 or English/Linguistics 3320.

3326 English Syntax and Semantics (3-0). Study of the rules of phrase and sentence formation and the study of linguistic meaning of morphemes, words, phrases, and sentences. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 3326.) Prerequisite: English/Linguistics 2340 or English/Linguistics 3320.

3330 Advanced Composition (3-0). Advanced technique and practice in writing processes as well as in rhetorical, literary, and stylistic analysis.

3331 American Literature to 1870 (3-0). A survey of authors, genres, themes, and movements in American literature before 1870.

3332 American Literature after 1870 (3-0). A survey of authors, genres, themes, and movements in American literature after 1870.

3333 British Literature to 1800 (3-0). A survey of authors, genres, themes, and movements in British Literature to 1800.

3334 British Literature After 1800 (3-0). A survey of authors, genres, themes, and movements in British literature after 1800.

3336 Folklore (3-0). A study of folk motifs of various cultures throughout the world.

3339 Ethnic American Literature (3-0). A study of the contributions of one or more ethnic groups, excluding works covered in English 4336: Mexican American Literature.

3341 Contemporary Literature (3-0). A study of selected works of literature written within the past half century. Will include a variety of authors, genres, and national literary traditions.

3352 Business Communications (3-0). Study of and practice in the skills and knowledge needed to communicate effectively in today’s business environment. Prerequisite: One sophomore literature course.

3353 Web Publishing (3-0). Comprehensive overview of analyzing and designing functional websites for the workplace. Focuses on theoretical aspects and practical applications of web design, as well as principles and practices of multimedia design and implementation. Prerequisite: One sophomore literature course.

3354 Intercultural and International Writing (3-0). Comprehensive overview of the role of culture in technical and business writing practices with a focus on designing professional documents for intercultural and international audiences. Prerequisite: One sophomore literature course.

3355 Fiction and Fiction Writing (3-0). A study of the theory and accepted practices of fiction and fiction writing. Writing assignments may include both critical essays and original fiction.

3356 Poetry and Poetry Writing (3-0). A study of the theory and accepted practices of poetry and poetry writing. Writing assignments may include both critical essays and original poetry.

3360 Travel and Study USA (3-0). A travel course in English studies related to destination within the United States and to topic selected by instructor. May be repeated once when destination or topic varies. Prerequisites: 30 semester credit hours, GPA of 2.50, and department permission.

3361 Travel and Study Abroad (3-0). A travel course in English studies related to destination outside of the United States and to topic selected by instructor. May be repeated once when destination or topic varies. Prerequisites: 30 semester credit hours, GPA of 2.50, and department permission.

Satisfactory completion of English 3330 is a prerequisite to all 4000-level courses except for English 4071, 4323, 4355, 4360, 4365, 4373, 4376, 4377, and 4381.

4071 Internship in English: Credit 1 to 6. An internship experience with advanced assignments in writing, literacy, editing, web design, or teaching English as a second language. (English 4071 may be repeated with a limit of 6 hours total.) Prerequisites: 60 hours - including current semester credit hours, a 2.50 or higher cumulative GPA at the time of application, and department permission.

4310 Studies in the British Novel (3-0). The study of a variety of topics and authors in the British novel.

4311 Topics in British Literature (3-0). A study of one or more topics in British literature.

4319 Sociolinguistics (3-0). A study of the role of language in society and how society in turn impacts language use. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 4319.)

4321 Teaching Literature in the Secondary Schools (3-0). A survey of best practices in teaching literary history and textual analysis in the secondary schools, including an understanding of and practice in the Texas English/Language Arts Standards in reading.

4322 Teaching Writing in the Secondary Schools (3-0). A survey of best practices in teaching writing in the secondary schools, including an understanding of and practice in the Texas English/Language Arts Standards in writing.

4323 Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Language (3-0). Study and application of perspectives, theories, pedagogies, and methods of language teaching and learning. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 4323.) Prerequisites: English/Linguistics 2340 or English/Linguistics 3320 and English/Linguistics 4340.

4328 Studies in a Single Author (3-0). A study of one author’s creative development and production. (May be repeated once when author varies.).

4329 Studies in Short Fiction (3-0). A study of major works, authors, periods, and/or theories of short fiction. Specific topics may vary.

4332 Studies in the American Novel (3-0). The study of a variety of topics and authors in the American novel.

4335 Comparative Literature (3-0). Non-English literature in translation. Emphasis may vary from semester to semester upon theme, genre, or national literature.

4336 Mexican American Literature (3-0). The literature of Mexican American authors in various genres.

4337 Women’s Literature (3-0). A study of literary texts, in various genres, by women.

4338 Reading Graphic Novels (3-0). An introduction to the special visual language of comics, as well as a survey of graphic fiction, memoir, and journalism.

4340 Psycholinguistics (3-0). Study of language and the brain, particularly child language acquisition and adult language learning, but also linguistic performance and oral and print comprehension and production. (Credit may not be earned for this course and Linguistics 4340.) Prerequisite: English/Linguistics 3320.

4344 Topics in American Literature (3-0). A study of one or more topics in American literature.

4355 Film Criticism (3-0). A study of the cinema as an art form and an index to popular culture.

4360 Professional Editing (3-0). Study and practice in editing methods for business, technical, scientific, and other professional documents, both electronic and paper. Practical experience includes editing documents produced by the business community and university. Prerequisite: One sophomore literature course.

4361 English Grammar (3-0). A study of grammar, including grammatical forms and functions, sentence structure, and diagramming.

4363 History of the English Language (3-0). A study of the structures of Old, Middle, Modern, and Present Day English, including readings from the various periods.

4365 Usability Testing (3-0). Overview of usability testing (testing of products, product documentation, and web sites) procedures in technical and business writing, including the construction of a usability testing lab, practice at conducting usability tests through a service-learning project, and methods for reporting usability findings to clients. Prerequisite: One sophomore literature course.

4373 Professional Writing (3-0). Strong emphasis on building writing skills and developing student identity as a professional. Culminates in the assembly of a professional portfolio that the student can use in the search for internships and post-graduation employment. Prerequisite: 90 semester credit hours, including a 2.00 cumulative GPA in 12 advanced hours in English (3330, 3351 or 3352, 3353, 4360 strongly recommended) or department approval.

4376 Fiction Writing Workshop (3-0). Intensive practice in writing and evaluating fiction. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: English 3355.

4377 Poetry Writing Workshop (3-0). Intensive practice in writing and evaluating poetry. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: English 3356.

4381 Special Topics (3-0). Selected topics in English. (May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.)

4391 Research. A specialized course which may be directed reading or research for superior students majoring in English.